Science Fiction
Read Science Fiction Classics in English
596 science fiction books at CEFR A2 to C2 — learn English by reading the stories worth reading. Select any word for an instant translation, listen to the narration read the page aloud, and save the vocabulary you meet. Pick your level and start with a free sample.
What are the best science fiction classics to read in English as a learner?
The best science fiction classics for English learners are the well-known titles you can read in the original — start with Zero Data, Zeritsky's Law and Zarlah the Martian. Each one is labelled with a CEFR level, any word you do not know is one selection away from a translation, and the narration reads the page aloud while it highlights the words.
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Level B2Science FictionBlind SpotIn a future where Earthlings and Martians coexist under strict segregation laws, tensions simmer beneath the surface of enforced harmony.
Level B2Science FictionBlack-outOn a dying Mars, a determined astronomer races to rebuild a powerful telescope and establish contact with a mysterious blue planet whose glowing lights may hold the key to saving t…
Level C1Science FictionBeyond the Great South Wall: The Secret of the AntarcticTwo friends, heartbroken and restless, face shattered hopes and societal barriers as they watch the women they love sail away on a distant voyage.
Level B2Science FictionBeyond the Black RiverA rugged woodsman stalks the perilous frontier beyond Thunder River, where savage Picts lurk and deadly ambushes await.
Level B2Science FictionBeyond PandoraIn a future where tissue regeneration halts aging and heals injuries, a man confronts the uneasy legacy of a vaccine once linked to deadly diseases.
Level B2Science FictionBeer-Trust BustersIn a future where one man controls the beer supply, three unlikely allies scheme to topple the ruthless tycoon known as Dirty Dudley.
Level B2Science FictionBattlefield in BlackCaptain Jon McPartland returns from a perilous patrol to find his connection to Earth mysteriously severed and the view screen to his home planet blank—amid growing fears that the…
Level B2Science FictionBarnstormerA young boy dreams of adventure as he sneaks away to meet Murph, a daring rocket pilot offering rides beyond the stars, while his family fears the dangers lurking in the vast unkno…
Level C1Science FictionBanzai! by ParabellumTensions simmer as East and West collide, with a dramatic clash igniting fears of war in the Pacific.
Level B2Science FictionB-12's Moon GlowIn a desolate junkyard on Phobos, B-12, a clever robot moonshiner, navigates prejudice and loneliness among obsolete metal beings while brewing a potent secret elixir that sparks u…
Level C1Science FictionAtavismAmidst a brutal wartime backdrop, a Martian named Erg embarks on a pioneering mission to Earth, designed to overcome ancient atavistic traits and unlock new potentials.
Level B2Science FictionAtalantaA group of Cambridge friends unite to develop a revolutionary airship powered by newly discovered elements that can defy gravity, unlocking the thrilling possibility of interplanet…
Level C1Science FictionAt the Earth's CoreA daring inventor and his companion test a revolutionary drilling machine that burrows deep into the Earth, uncovering a hidden, prehistoric world teeming with strange creatures an…
Level B2Science FictionAstounding Stories, June, 1931A space patrol officer returns to Earth for routine business but uncovers a mysterious stowaway incident that challenges the cold logic of scientists and ignites a thrilling encoun…
Level B2Science FictionAstounding Stories, August, 1931Trapped a mile beneath the Pacific in a steel sphere, scientist George Abbot confronts mysterious fish-like creatures with human arms and faces the terrifying failure of his life-s…
Level B2Science FictionAssassinIn a high-stakes infiltration at the Pentagon, a flawlessly trained assassin navigates deadly scrutiny and political rivalries, tasked with a mission that transcends the murder of…
Level B2Science FictionArqtiq: A Study of the Marvels at the North PoleEmbark on a daring expedition to the North Pole aboard a marvelous hybrid coach that glides, sails, and flies over snow and water.
Level C1Science FictionArchibald MalmaisonA mysterious affliction grips Archibald Malmaison, revealing a psychological enigma that challenges the boundaries between truth and fiction.
Level C1Science FictionAnother EarthIn a groundbreaking space test, an astronaut inside a sealed capsule experiences a baffling breakdown in communication, revealing unsettling mysteries about the human mind and surv…
Level C1Science FictionAn experiment in gyro-hatsA hat dealer obsessed with maximizing the unused space in top hats becomes entangled in his daughter Anne’s troubled love for Walsingham Gribbs—a man who perpetually staggers witho…
Level C1Science FictionAn Anglo-American Alliance: A Serio-Comic Romance and Forecast of the FutureIn a future where nations claim civilization yet breed corruption, two powerful governments—America and Britain—face the challenge of forging a true alliance to awaken universal br…
Level B2Science FictionAlpha Say, Beta DoIn a future where space travelers routinely duplicate themselves for complex missions, Doyle Tindar and Kay Kanton face an unprecedented dilemma when their duplicates unexpectedly…
Level B2Science FictionAll That Goes UpA father’s ordinary evening turns extraordinary when his son’s experimental panel defies gravity, causing objects to stick to the ceiling.
Level C1Science FictionAll Around the MoonAn audacious plan to reach the Moon unfolds as a colossal cannon fires a hollow projectile carrying three intrepid explorers on a daring journey through space, challenging the limi…
Level B2Science FictionAlien OfferAn alien commander offers humanity a stark choice: evacuate 100,000 children from Earth within a week to escape an imminent cosmic threat.
Level B2Science FictionAgainst TetrarchTrapped on the brutal planet Tetrarch IV, where humans die young and endure slave labor in toxic mines, Rod Harrow confronts a haunting past and a mysterious ally, Mona Darlanan, w…
Level B2Science FictionAfter London; Or, Wild EnglandAfter a mysterious event leaves London abandoned, nature reclaims the land, transforming fields into vast forests and swamps.
Level B2Science FictionAdvanced ChemistryIn a cluttered lab, a determined professor injects dead rats with a mysterious concoction that sparks unexpected life, igniting hope for groundbreaking healing.
Level B2Science FictionAdrift in the Unknown; or, Queer Adventures in a Queer RealmWhen Professor Quinn and his steel "castle" vanish without a trace, along with a powerful railroad magnate, the mystery deepens into a thrilling adventure exploring strange realms…
Level C1Science FictionAcross the Zodiac: The Story of a Wrecked RecordA chance encounter on a steamboat introduces a mysterious cipher linked to a secret manuscript, drawing a skeptical traveler and a Confederate officer into a world where coded mess…
Level C1Science FictionAbandonedStranded on a seemingly uninhabited island, a group of balloon voyagers discover a bullet lodged in a wild animal, sparking a thrilling mystery about recent human presence and surv…
Level C1Science FictionA world to die forA daring crew aboard the Markab embarks on a perilous mission to confront a mysterious, colossal alien ship nicknamed the "crystal woman," seeking answers about a lost explorer and…
Level B2Science FictionA trick of the mindWhen Paul Donovan discovers he can control objects with his mind, he revels in his newfound power—until he uses it to commit a daring robbery.
Level B2Science FictionA princess of MarsA seasoned soldier’s mysterious manuscript reveals a life filled with adventure, loss, and a secret yearning beneath a calm exterior.
Level C1Science FictionA Witch Shall Be BornIn a shadow-haunted palace, Queen Taramis confronts a sinister doppelgänger claiming to be her long-lost twin sister marked by a deadly curse—an eerie tale of dark magic, betrayal,…
Level C1Science FictionA Voyage to the Moon: With Some Account of the Manners and Customs, Science and Philosophy, of the People of Morosofia, and Other LunariansA daring voyage to the Moon reveals a world of strange customs, curious philosophers, and peculiar lunar creatures.
Level C1Science FictionA Voyage to the MoonA restless soul escapes Earth’s confines to explore the moon, encountering strange lands, curious inhabitants, and philosophical debates that challenge his understanding of the uni…
Level C1Science FictionA Voyage to ArcturusA medium prepares for a séance in an opulent London home, where guests await a mysterious materialization that promises to blur the line between dreams and reality.
Level C1Science FictionA Trip to Venus: A NovelWhen a mysterious light is spotted on Mars, an astronomer and a curious observer debate whether it signals alien life or natural phenomena, igniting a daring quest to uncover the s…
Level C1Science FictionA Trip to MarsWhen a mysterious meteorite crashes to Earth, a curious young man embarks on an extraordinary journey to Mars, encountering strange visitors and uncovering secrets that blend imagi…
Level B2Science FictionA Touch of E FlatA former war scientist turned professor accidentally invents a powerful new weapon—the Cooling gun—that could change the nature of warfare forever, but its development draws danger…
Level B2Science FictionA Strange Manuscript Found in a Copper CylinderA languid cruise turns captivating when a mysterious copper cylinder is discovered at sea, sparking a thrilling tale of adventure and discovery.
Level C1Science FictionA Strange DiscoveryAn Englishman travels to Southern Illinois to settle his late father’s business, only to find himself drawn into a mysterious discovery that intertwines literature, local legends,…
Level C1Science FictionA Son of the Ages: The Reincarnations and Adventures of Scar, the Link: A Story of Man From the BeginningJourney through eons as life evolves from primeval seas to fierce prehistoric battles, following a unique link in human ancestry whose mind begins to stir amid savage survival and…
Level B2Science FictionA Soldier's Home Is BattleIn a city devastated by a sudden nuclear attack, Private Jerry Conlon struggles to survive amid the ruins and uncertainty, haunted by the fate of his family and the grim reality of…
Level C1MysteryA Republic Without a President, and Other StoriesWhen the President and his wife vanish mysteriously from the White House, with servants found gagged and a powerful politician implicated, the nation plunges into chaos and conspir…
Level C1Science FictionA Matter of ProportionIn a dark, frost-bitten world where sabotage means survival, a Special Corps team risks everything to destroy vital enemy supply lines.
Level B2Science FictionA Matter of MagnitudeA colossal battleship, never having touched Earth, cruises the galaxy's edge in peace—until a mysterious alien signal disrupts the void, revealing an unseen presence that challenge…